Le Bent Le Send

Our take Having to pull up your socks during a dayhike is bad enough, but in the middle of a 1,000-vertical-foot climb on skis? Pass. To combat this problem, Le Bent added three silicone strips to the inside of the Le Send’s top cuff and three more on the heel—a strategy new to the ski world but borrowed from no-show running socks. The strips kept everything in place during a roller-coaster 10-mile tour in Colorado’s Gore Range. The Le Send contains a classic combination of merino (20 percent) for wicking and warmth, rayon (47 percent) for softness, nylon (31 percent) for durability, and 2 percent elastane for stretch. Vents at the instep and ankle boost breathability, and after a season of use and washings the silicone strips haven’t peeled.

Trail cred “The medium-thick padding around the toe helped keep my feet warm on a 0°F day on Hokkaido in Japan,” one tester says.

$35; S-XL (unisex)